The mother of Heather Heyer, the 32-year-old woman killed when a man with suspected neo-Nazi ties slammed a car into a crowd of counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend, said she will not be taking calls from President Donald Trump after hearing his much criticized “both sides” response to what unfolded.
Susan Bro, Heyer’s mother, said she had “no interest” in speaking with Trump during an interview on Good Morning America on Friday. Bro specifically cited Trump’s second press conference where he defended the white supremacist protesters and said there was blame on “both sides” for the violence that transpired.
Bro said Trump reached out to the family during Heyer’s funeral, and White House aides left “three more frantic messages” after the memorial service. Bro said she was “leery” of speaking to any politicians who want to use Heyer’s name for their own political agenda.
“I have not, and now I will not” talk to President Trump, says mother of Charlottesville victim Heather Heyer pic.twitter.com/n40qJE1OIF
— Marlow Stern (@MarlowNYC) August 18, 2017
“I hadn’t really watched the news until last night, and I’m not talking to the president now, I’m sorry, after what he said,” Bro said. “I saw an actual clip of him at a press conference equating the protesters … with the KKK and the white supremacists.”
Bro thanked Trump on Monday for his statements, but her views changed after the Tuesday press conference, she said.
“You can’t wash this one away by shaking my hand and saying, ‘I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m not forgiving for that.”
GMA host Robin Roberts asked Bro if she wanted to say anything to Trump in particular, she responded: “Think before you speak.”
You can watch all of Bro’s interview on Good Morning America here.